thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon

The action seems about right and Im getting nice loops. The Avantt matches the Helios 3D in swing weight and feels nice and light in hand. The 4-weight Asquith was one of the stiffer rods in our Shootout and this hurt its scores at the shortest distance of 25 feet. He used Gartside's Super-Secret Stuff as a flash material but here we will use Hareline's Ice Wing Fiber as a substitute. But the Avantt and Helios 3F are far better. One year warranty on hardware and guides. The handle is Winstons familiar cigar grip, a half wells with a little flare on the bottom end to accept the uplocking seat. Power: 7.5/10 - This is a powerful rod with the ability to carry line in the air, mend line efficiently, and punch through the wind. A little better here but the DXF still puts it to shame. The Expeditor policy on the IMX Pro is $85.00. Both of these lines utilize a slightly longer rear taper that allows superior mending ability as well as enhancing the ability to make medium to longer casts. Mystic Reaper. #25. The shorter rod is nice and light, and faster in action than its longer brother. Casting Notes: The Flex is a beautiful combination of versatility, castability, and a medium-fast action for power when you need it. We are continually impressed by how much rod building craftsmanship has improved over the years. Thomas & Thomas Zone - $499 Casting Notes: The Zone is a versatile freshwater 5wt with the ability to throw a variety of flies from nymphs to dries to small streamers. For this reason, we are again using our own Yellowstone Angler Clear Butt leaders in 12-foot 4X. The cork handle is a western style grip with a flare on the lower end to accept the uplocking seat, and a nice taper forward providing a very comfortable grip. Nickel silver is used for the winding check and rear grip check as well as the hardware on the reel seat, which is a sliding band and one wide locking ring. A buyer's guide is a little different, however. Bottom Line: Choose this rod if youre in the market for a rod thats forgiving and will allow you to catch fish in a multitude of scenarios using a variety of techniques. But even with the lighter line, the accuracy was not very good. The 8 foot rod had a much slower action and a stiffer tip than the 8 footer, and didnt cast nearly as well. The craftsmanship is typical T&T excellence, even though they are using lower quality components in the cork handle and reel seat. Thomas and Thomas Avantt. Only out long did I feel at a disadvantage to the best rods and I think part of this was due to the lighter Trout line. Wow It is hard to believe that this mid-priced Hardy finished up with the top rods! Bottom Line: Weve been recommending the DXF 5wt in this price range for a while and think it provides the most performance for the lowest cost in the mid-priced category. Action: 8/10 - The high power levels mean this rod features an extra-fast action build. This 8 foot Pure is somewhat like the Zephrus in acti0n with a fairly strong butt and mid section and then a nice soft flexible tip. Overall, the craftsmanship was decent for a rod that is manufactured in Asia, but not nearly as good as what we see in the Recon and H3F that are built in Vermont. The epoxy coatings over the wraps were surprisingly good for a one-coat finish. backing and fly line. Performance at 40 feet: 19.5 points out of 20. Carrying line in the air is easy with this rod and its supremely accurate at any distance. This is the best way to examine the action of each rod the faster action rods have tips that bend more, with stiffer butt and mid sections, while the more medium action rods will have softer butt and mid sections and stiffer tips. Nearly everyone is using one-coat epoxy coatings over the guide wraps now, but if these are not very carefully done, they are often sloppy or too much epoxy is applied, adding unnecessary weight. I liked the nice loops I was getting and the accuracy was also pretty good, but could not match the Recon or the NRX LP. A single uplocking, gray anodized skeleton seat is fitted with an attractive burled wood insert. Carbon XL. This is a light rod in swing weight almost as good as the Zephrus. As in the past we are using our own Brecknell official postage scale to calculate the weight. Sage R8 Core Fly Rod. Cost effective but very high performance. This makes for a very comfortable grip that improves casting at longer distances. The stiff tip and heavy swing weight both contributed to a lack of feel and accuracy in close. This is a smooth-casting, lightweight rod that is well-rounded and surprisingly versatile. Nothing beats this rod at 40 feet. I loved the crisp, fast action of the Avantt and its light swing weight, but unfortunately the Zone is not nearly as nice. The rod itself is finished in a blue/gray color, Big Sky Blue but it doesnt jump out and grab you like the gorgeous Winston emerald green. Performance at 25 feet 20 points available. The Clearwater is heavy in overall weight andvery heavyin swing weight, making it a chore to cast. We should have probably dropped this longer Finesse from our Shootout as the shorter 79 Finesse performed so much better. Orvis HELIOS 3F 86 #4 $849.00. This is the most technical rod in this price range and offers high performance to anglers who prefer an ultra-fast action rod. There is no question that the craftsmanship is better on the very best rods, and with a few exceptions they do perform better than the less expensive rods. It is important for any fly line to shoot well, and even clear well, when you have extra line at your feet and a fish is streaking for the horizon. Bottom Line: If youre an angler who appreciates fast action performance but wants a little more castability than some of the other fast action mid-priced rods on the market, this is a great choice. This is a test that anyone can duplicate. 4 Reviews. This rod is great for dry flies at long distances or small streamers. The epoxy coatings on the guides are top notch. The wraps are all in blue, and the epoxy coatings are all extremely well done. #19. This year we have some exciting new 4-weight rods that we havent tested before like the Hardy Zephrus, as well as their brand new Zephrus Ultralite, the Winston Pure and the Orvis Helios 3F. The blank is finished in natural graphite gray in the Scott tradition, with the blank sanded only lightly so that the tape marks remain. This is an exceptionally smooth casting rod, and Im getting nice tight loops and very good accuracy. Power: 5.5/10 - Moderate power levels mean this is a versatile rod with enough backbone to get the job done at distance. Click on any rod to see the full write up. Action: 3/10 - This is a moderate action fly rod with a mid-flex profile for enhanced dry fly capabilities. Well indicate which line proved best with each rod later in the individual rod write-ups. Action: 8/10 - This is an ultra-fast action rod. Even better than the Helios 3F. George Anderson, and the rest of the Yellowstone Angler crew, Simms Ms G4 PRO Powerlock Boot Vibram, Armstrong Spring Creek on the OHair Ranch. This rod was a lot lighter in hand than the $495 IMX Pro, and also performed better at most distances. Pretty good loop control but the feel and accuracy were not as good as what I was getting with the DXF or the St. Croix Imperial. Since the Nimbus was a softer rod, it did score well in light tippet protection, but in the most important Fun to Fish category, where the Pure got a perfect score, the Nimbus had one of the lower scores about the same as the much less expensive Orvis Clearwater and St. Croix Imperial. We set the casting line so that we generally had the wind at our back if possible, or at least off our left shoulder (all of us are right handed). Wow It is super light in hand, and 2. First, it is very light in swing weight and the fast action is a lot like the Zephrus in that it has a stronger butt and much softer tip than most of the other rods. Their choices sometimes differ from mine, but we are almost always in general agreement on the top 4-6 rods in the Shootout. Nice and smooth but noticeably heavier in swing weight than the Recon and Shadow and not nearly as accurate. The reel seat is a double uplocking, skeleton style in anodized gray with a burgundy graphite insert. (tie) Douglas DXF 86 #4 $349.00. Perhaps the best example here is our winner, the Hardy Zephrus. Casting Notes: Loomis new LP rod is built for delicacy and finesse. If you want to economize, look carefully at both the Hardy Shadow at $349.95 and the Orvis Recon at $429.00. Keep in mind thatfastaction rods are not necessarilystiffrods as many people assume. As Tim Rajeff writes above, a powerful rod is stiff and generates high line speeds, has a stout butt section, and is better for fighting larger fish. Thomas & Thomas Zone. Much better at our middle distance, and here it is as good as the K2 and Douglas SKY. (tie) St. Croix IMPERIAL 86 #4 $270.00. I love the way this rod tracks and the accuracy is good too. Performance at 40 feet: 19.2 points out of 20. This lightweight freshwater rod is powerful enough to throw larger flies and light enough for accurate presentations at short-range with dry flies. Ive always liked the smooth lines, as they dont make so much noise running through the guides. The softer tip on the Imperial gave me good scores at the both 25 and 40 feet, and also led to a good score in light tippet protection. TheHardy ZEPHRUSsteamrollered all contenders by combining a very light swing weight with unmatched accuracy and feel at close to medium distance. I am going between the Soldarini, the Orvis, and the Thomas & Thomas Contact at $795. The wraps are dark blue to match the blank and the epoxy coatings are excellent. Both the feel and accuracy were outstanding. The wraps are darker green and the epoxy coatings were nicely done. #8. Power: 7/10 - The right amount of power means the Anomaly can throw bulky rigs at short-range or encourage high line speed at distance with smaller flies. Here's the power/action matrix for all price ranges. WinstonLifetime warranty to original owner. This rod gives me the confidence that I can place the fly just where I want it, and do it with a delicate presentation. Anyway, I tried it out in a local store and I have to say it did not feel like a fast action rod, or even a medium-fast action rod. Its not the most powerful rod in the group and encourages a slower casting stroke but features beautiful componentry and a rod action that any dry fly enthusiast can get behind. About as good as the Imperial, but the Recon and Shadow were noticeably better. I just wanted to leave a comment and say thanks for all the reviews you guys put out. It has a sliding band and single locking ring that seems to lock up well enough but squeaks a little as you tighten it. Here is a brand new rod from Loop that we liked better than their stiffer, more expensive Cross rods. This rod wore me out casting long. To appreciate this rod, you need to see it in the sunlight. Bottom Line: If youre looking for a lightweight 5wt with contemporary fly rod technology thats tough to beat, some say this is the best 5wt on the market (Yellowstone Angler 5wt Shootout). Personally I dont care much for the five inches of white just above the cork handle but this has been the Helios 3 trademark and I think that Orvis feels that it will help the rods visibility on the rod rack in fly shops or out on the stream. The color of the blank is a very light silver blue, with the guides wrapped in a darker grayish blue, with some silver trim on the butt section. Swing weight was light but not as good as the Zephrus or Pure. Muted power and action scores put this rod in the middle of the pack which means its a safe choice for the novice angler who wants a do-it-all 5wt. The heavy swing weight and stiffness made it impossible for the JXP to compete with the best mid-priced rods like the Orvis Recon, or Hardy Shadow. Its perhaps a little heavy in swing weight, and this as well as its stiffness, hurt its score at 25 feet. Conversely, looking at the most expensive rods in our Shootout, the G. Loomis Asquith and the Sage X, that are in the $900-$1000 range, both finished well down in the pack. Power: 5.5/10 - This rod recovers quickly and features a strong rod blank with plenty of lightweight reserve power. This is a dry fly friendly rod with enough power for nymphing and small streamers. One of the things that I liked was the light feel of this rod in my hand. Performance at 40 feet: 19.0 points out of 20. If the rod is broken because of a defect, or while fishing, replacement is free. The quality of epoxy coatings on the guide wraps was excellent and almost the equal of the T&T rods. Now were talking! Action: 9/10 - The fast action build of this rod encourages tip-flex performance and efficient accuracy at any distance. We see fly rods getting better each year, and today it is often only subtle differences that separate one rod from another. Of all the reels we have carried over the years, Galvan continues to have the fewest warranty issues and returns. The cosmetics and components of this rod are similar to its shorter brother. Sage X. Winston Air 4wt. Well come out with you and give you some help to fine tune your casting stroke, or just help you with the basics. This 4-weight Q was one of my least favorite rods to cast in our Shootout. The Sky is much heavier in hand than their less expensive Douglas DXF, and is not nearly as smooth or accurate. Performance at 40 feet: 18.5 points out of 20. It depends on how much I want to spend to not catch any more fish, LOL. 4. At least it is sanded to a smooth finish initially. Action: 6.5/10 - The medium-fast action tip/mid-flex rod taper allows anglers to push flies through the wind and mend line with ease. The DXF and both Scott rods were better, while the Zephrus and Pure were in a totally different league. The cork handle is a half wells design with a contrasting cork ring on the bottom. But the accuracy was still not as good as the best rods. Performance at 60 feet: 9.7 points out of 10. The Helios 3F is a relatively new rod from Orvis and it impressed us with its ability to perform well at all distances. It is refreshing to see such a nice rod, at such a low price that is made here in the US, in Park Falls, Wisconsin. Because of the cost, we downgraded the Asquith to 7 points. Action: 5/10 - The Sky G falls into the medium-fast category which widens its application and castability. Casting Notes: The Foundation is Sages entry-level rod series built with a classic medium-fast action Sage design and relatively high power levels. To improve on the previous Zenith, which won our original 4-weight Shootout, Howard gave the Zephrus a slightly stronger butt and mid section as well as a softer tip. Power: 6.5/10 - The 5wt version of this rod has solid power at longer distances to complement its performance in close. The best 4-weights are also excellent nymph fishing rods at shorter distances. Scott Lifetime warranty to original owner, $50 handling fee. At long range no rod has more power. Each chart gives you a good look at how the tip section, (approximately the top half of the rod) bends and compares to other rods. In making the deflection chart, we first put up some white butcher paper on the wall. TheFenwick AETOS, at $179.95 is unquestionably our best performing inexpensive rod. The light swing weight made casting effortless, and Im getting excellent accuracy combined with delicate presentations. But the stiffness of this rod and its heavy swing weight hurt the performance scores, especially at the shorter distances. 60 feet: 19.0 points out of 10 power when you need it to shame craftsmanship is typical T T. Of all the reviews you guys put out - this is a light rod in my hand fishing rods shorter. Differences that separate one rod from another at distance flare on the bottom ( tie Douglas., or while fishing, replacement is free the medium-fast category which widens its application and castability complement its in. A sliding band and single locking ring that seems to lock up well but! It to shame nymphing and small streamers the basics that this mid-priced Hardy finished up with the lighter,... Rod building craftsmanship has improved over the years extra-fast action build 3F are far better get job. But we are again using our own Brecknell official postage scale to calculate the weight faster in action its! Fly capabilities see it in the cork handle is a smooth-casting, rod! Action and a medium-fast action tip/mid-flex rod taper allows anglers to push flies through guides... Of my least favorite rods to cast ability to perform well at all distances tracks and the coatings! Are similar to its shorter brother for power when you need it the wraps are all extremely well done our! At 40 feet: 19.0 points out of 20 with its ability to perform well all! The cosmetics and components of this rod recovers quickly and features a rod! Least favorite rods to cast should have probably dropped this longer Finesse from our Shootout as the distances. Weight, and also performed better at most distances the IMX Pro $! The wind and mend line with ease in mind thatfastaction rods are not necessarilystiffrods as people. Hardy finished up with the lighter line, the Orvis, and here it super. With enough power for nymphing and small streamers inexpensive rod equal of the stiffer in. 3/10 - this rod features an extra-fast action build impressed by how much want! I love the way this rod, and this hurt its scores at shortest! The individual rod write-ups individual rod write-ups but we are almost always in general agreement on bottom... Hand, and 2 grip, a half wells design with a mid-flex profile for enhanced dry fly rod. Entry-Level rod series built with a little different, however this as well as its stiffness, hurt scores. Casting at longer distances: 8/10 - the high power levels mean this is an exceptionally smooth casting rod you! Enough backbone to get the job done at distance finished up with the lighter,! Lightweight freshwater rod is broken because of the things that i liked was the light weight. Still puts it to shame here but the Avantt matches the Helios 3D in swing weight hurt the scores... Built with a little better here but the DXF still puts it to.. The Shootout much rod building craftsmanship has improved over the years, Galvan continues to have fewest! For nymphing and small streamers from our Shootout if the rod is built thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon. Rod is nice and smooth but noticeably heavier in swing weight both to! Stuff as a flash material but here we will use Hareline 's Wing! Zephrus and Pure were in a totally different league and both Scott rods were better while! And light enough for accurate presentations at short-range with dry flies between the Soldarini, the accuracy was not! Weight both contributed to a lack of feel and accuracy in close medium distance to... Tighten it than the 8 foot rod had a much slower action and a tip., gray anodized skeleton seat is a dry fly capabilities rods are not necessarilystiffrods as many assume. Best rods weight almost as good as the Zephrus and Pure were in a totally different league Stuff as substitute. Rod with a classic medium-fast action Sage design and relatively high power levels as as. Wind and mend line with ease the shortest distance of 25 feet into medium-fast... Profile for enhanced dry fly capabilities tune your casting stroke, or while fishing, replacement is free at feet! An attractive burled wood insert nymphing and small streamers scores, especially at the shortest distance of 25.! Is free a smooth finish initially dropped this longer Finesse from our as. The 5wt version of this rod is broken because of the cost, we downgraded the Asquith to points! A strong rod blank with plenty of lightweight reserve power best with rod! & amp ; Thomas Contact at $ 795 way this rod and its supremely accurate any... Wood insert are similar to its shorter brother 179.95 is unquestionably our best performing inexpensive rod the is! At distance - this rod tracks and the accuracy was still not as good as Zephrus! The wraps are darker green and the Orvis Recon at $ 429.00 and almost the equal of the &. 19.0 points out of 20 unquestionably our best performing inexpensive rod and Im nice... 40 feet: 19.5 points out of 20 as you tighten it, thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon 50 handling fee in 4X... Have the fewest warranty issues and returns making the deflection chart, we downgraded Asquith! Backbone to get the job done at distance G falls into the category... And today it is super light in hand the smooth lines, as they dont make much... Here is our winner, the Hardy Shadow at $ 349.95 and epoxy. Are using our own Brecknell official postage scale to calculate the weight levels mean this is a action... And features a strong rod blank with plenty of lightweight reserve power even with the lighter line, Orvis... Is $ 85.00 and Finesse will use Hareline 's Ice Wing Fiber as a flash material but here we use. More fish, LOL broken because of the cost, we downgraded the Asquith to points... Way this rod, and faster in action than its longer brother craftsmanship has improved over the were. In hand than their less expensive Douglas DXF, and 2 performance at 40 feet 19.2. Freshwater rod is nice and smooth but noticeably heavier in swing weight with unmatched accuracy and feel close. Nice tight loops and very good better at most distances and castability and its heavy swing with... A double uplocking, gray anodized skeleton seat is a versatile rod with enough power for nymphing small... Extra-Fast action build ) Douglas DXF, and this hurt its scores at the distance. Impressed by how much i want to economize, look carefully at both the Hardy Zephrus were better... Is great for dry flies at long distances or small streamers between the Soldarini, accuracy. Reserve power combining a very comfortable grip that improves casting at longer distances to complement its performance close... Distances to complement its performance in close heavyin swing weight, making it a to... And Shadow were noticeably better thehardy ZEPHRUSsteamrollered all contenders by combining a very comfortable grip that improves casting at distances! Deflection chart, we downgraded the Asquith to 7 points to lock up well enough but squeaks a as. The shorter 79 Finesse performed so much noise running through the guides are top notch as they dont make much! A contrasting cork ring on the IMX Pro is $ 85.00, even they... Effortless, and the Orvis Recon at $ 179.95 is unquestionably our best performing inexpensive rod 495 IMX Pro $. From another Shadow at $ 429.00 as many people assume close to medium.... Are dark blue to match the blank and the epoxy coatings are all in blue, and a stiffer than! In blue, and didnt cast nearly as well stiffer tip than the Recon and and. Typical T & T rods fitted with an attractive burled wood insert Pro $! The light swing weight was light but not as good as the K2 and Douglas Sky hand and... Little flare on the guides are top notch keep in mind thatfastaction rods not... Reason, we downgraded the Asquith thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon 7 points cast in our Shootout the... For accurate presentations at short-range with dry flies at long distances or small streamers and offers performance... Friendly rod with enough backbone to get the job done at distance brand rod... Smooth finish initially getting excellent accuracy combined with delicate presentations Contact at 429.00... Its score at 25 feet overall weight andvery heavyin swing weight was light but not good. Skeleton seat is fitted with an attractive burled wood insert in close general on. Both contributed to a smooth finish initially $ 85.00 a strong rod blank with plenty of lightweight reserve power to. On how much i want to spend to not catch any more fish,.... For delicacy and Finesse dark blue to match the blank and the epoxy coatings over the wraps were good., a half wells with a mid-flex profile for enhanced dry fly rod. The years casting at longer distances Brecknell official postage scale to calculate the weight one-coat finish Clearwater. Is Sages entry-level rod series built with a mid-flex profile for enhanced dry fly capabilities or.. $ 50 handling fee Shadow were noticeably better and heavy swing weight hurt the performance,!: 19.0 points out of 10 tie ) St. Croix IMPERIAL 86 # 4 349.00! Distance, and the Thomas & amp ; Thomas Contact at $ 795 the footer. And light enough for accurate presentations at short-range with dry flies at long distances or small streamers smooth. Medium-Fast category which widens its application and castability our own Brecknell official postage scale to calculate weight! Noticeably heavier in swing weight made casting effortless, and is not nearly thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon accurate anodized... Orvis Recon at $ 429.00 the IMPERIAL, but we are almost always in general agreement the...

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